New Ulm weekly review., 1887-08-31

my mind as / hurried back to the no.
tel. Certainly the prospecu was
gloomy enough.
81 easily ascerta tained that the Amer
ican had taken the trainfor Paris che
day before, and / determined to follow
him at once. / did not despair Of
finding him, as he ould robably put
up,at one of the good hotels.
s.0n the way up to Paris Icould
think OF nothing but. my loss. This
fellow saw had hit upon very safe
and profitable method of swindling.
In nine cases out Of ten tine cheated
man would not discover his loss for
for years after he had seen the last of
the American, if, indeed, the trick was
discovered at all, for the paste was
quite good enough to deceive casual
observer, and the owner would, Of
course, be actuated by a profound
faith in his diamond straight from
Brazil. Had it not been for the Incl
dent of my finding the ring case
which the rogue had accidentally
dropped, / Ishould in all probability
have unwittingly cheated poor Tn-
renne out OF his money, and he might
afterward have been supposed to be
trying to palm off a spurious dia-
mond for a realgem. In all probabili-
ty the fellow made q living and a
very good one-by going about Eu-
rope and practicing this trick.
''This idea sent off my thoughts on
a new track, and by the time I had
arrived in Paris had decided on my
course Of action.
First of all made careful ;nqui-
ries at the railway station as to a tall
American who had arrived at
Nice by certain train on a proceed
ing day; and, by the help of some s.
france pieces, I found the cabman
who had driven him to his hotel-the
Continental.
This being ascertained, l chose q
quiet, unpretendfng hotel for myself
near one OF the railway stations.
Then ! emptied the contents of a light
bag on my bed, and, taking it empty
in my hand, / went to theatrical
costumer's and saying I intended to
take part in some private theatricals,
/ hired the costume of a French abbe.
1t was a part had often played in a
piece that had a pretty long run in
London some eight years ago, and I
had little doubt that would be able
to acquit nyselfiin it fairly well). 1
got the proper dress, wig, powder and
everything complete, and having put
all the articles into my bag, went to
one OF the railway stations and took
a return ticket for a station a little
way out IN the country.
To my disgust I found it impossi-
ible to get a compartment to myself,
the train was too crowGed, but ! re-
fected that the trains returning to
Paris would probably be much less
crowded in the afternoon than those
going into the country.
Gin this supposition I was right. /
hung about the, suburban railway STA
ton till q return train was about to
start. It was nearly empty, and a
douceur to the guard secured me the
privacy needed. By the time I re-
turned to Paris was q stout, benev-
olent-looking French priest, in COM
fortably circumstances. My suit Of
tweeds | had placed in my bag,
which took care to leave at the rail-
way station. Then made the best
OF my way to the Hotel Continental.
II was just in time for the table
d'hote, and as took my seat / no.
ticed with great satisfaction that my
transatlantic friend was sitting not
very far of, and that he had not a
suspicion OF my identity. Nothing,
[ knew, could be done until after din
ner, so I waited through the tedious
procession of courses as patiently as
| could, and when at last they came
to an end, / followed the American
and little group of men who sur
rounded him to the smoking room. 1t
was not exactly the placef for priest,
but could not help that.
sat down by a little round table
near the American, but slightly be-
hind him, SO as to be able to hear the
conversation without Joining it unless
I wished. From time to time offer
ed remark, speaking, of course. in
French, to the man who sat next to
me, but for the most part smoked
my cigar and slipped my coffee in 81
lence.
Gas I expected, it was not long be-
fore diamonds became the object of
conversation.
81 don't know much about dia.
monds myself said the American,
speaking IN his native tongue, but
I'm told by good judges that's about
as good astone as you'll see anywhere
round.' almost exactly the phrases,
1 said to myself, which the fellow used
I o me at Nicely
You kin take look at it, he
added carelessly, drawing off the ring
and handing it to one OF the group.
bent forward, SO as to see more clear
ly what was going on. One after an
other the men who were. sitting near
examined and admired the ring. The
man next me was the last to look at
it.
Z ga friend I hev at Buenos Ayres
sent it to me and had it cut myself, !
said the American.
'sAt this point / noticed that my
neighbor had finished his examination
- y \